Why you should be afraid of an antibiotic apocalypse

Mehdi Hasan on the dangers of doling out antibiotics like candy.

"We are in a post-antibiotic era," World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan declared earlier this year.

Her warning echoed a recent report that found antimicrobial resistance was responsible for more than 700,000 deaths worldwide in 2014 alone and could kill more than 10 million people each year by 2050.

Despite the warnings, antibiotic use in humans and livestock continues to grow in many countries. Scientists say misuse and overuse of the drugs are two of the main contributors to resistance.